THE VICTORIAN PERIOD1832-1901

QUEEN VICTORIA• REIGNED FROM 1837-1901

THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

• BENEFITS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS• NEW TOWNS• NEW GOODS• NEW WEALTH• NEW JOBS

“THE HUNGRY FORTIES”

• ON THE WHOLE, THE VICTORIAN ERA WAS CHARACTERIZED BY ECONOMIC DEPRESSION. ON AN AVERAGE, THERE WERE 1.5 MILLION UNEMPLOYED WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES ON POVERTY RELIEF.

VICTORIANISM = PRUDERY• PRUDERY - THE BEHAVIOR OR

THINKING OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TOO EASILY SHOCKED OR OFFENDED• LEG = LIMB; IMPROPER TO

SAY “LEG”• “FALLEN” WOMAN – ONE WHO

HAS BEEN SEDUCED OR WAS ADULTEROUS

THE VICTORIAN THEATER

• MARKED BY:• PRUDERY• GOOD TASTE• REPRESSION OF FEELINGS• HIGH-MINDEDNESS• OFFICIAL CENSORSHIP

CHARLES DICKENS• THE MOST POPULAR AND THE

MOST IMPORTANT FIGURE IN VICTORIAN LITERATURE• A CHRISTMAS CAROL• DAVID COPPERFIELD• OLIVER TWIST• GREAT EXPECTATIONS• A TALE OF TWO CITIES

THE HIGHEST PURPOSE OF THE POET:

• TO MAKE READERS AWARE OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN:• EARTH AND HEAVEN• BODY AND SOUL• MATERIAL AND IDEAL

VICTORIAN THEMES

• EMOTIONAL RESPONSES:• PAIN, JOY, ANXIETY, SORROW, RELIEF

• LASTING IMPRESSIONS:• MUSIC OF A FRIEND’S LAUGHTER• SCENT OF PINE IN THE MOUNTAINS

ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING• ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS

POETS OF HER DAY• WROTE ON INTELLECTUAL,

RELIGIOUS, AND POLITICAL MATTERS• FATHER FORBID HER TO MARRY,

BUT SHE ELOPED WITH ROBERT BROWNING• HAD A SON (PEN) WHEN SHE

WAS 43• DIED AT 55

THOMAS HARDY• NOVELIST, POET, ARCHITECT• BELIEVED THE WORLD WAS

GOVERNED BY NATURE’S LAWS AND INDIFFERENT TO HUMANS• BLEAKNESS, PESSIMISM• ANTICLIMAX – WHEN SOMETHING

TRIVIAL OR COMICAL HAPPENS AT THE POINT IN A STORY WHEN ONE EXPECTS SOMETHING IMPORTANT OR SERIOUS

ROBERT BROWNING• “POET OF MEN’S SOULS”• FAN OF ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING; BEGAN

THEIR CORRESPONDENCE; RECEIVED RECOGNITION FOR HIS OWN POEMS AFTER SHE DIED• “ONLY BY ACTING BOLDLY CAN ONE WREST WHAT

IS GOOD FROM AN IMPERFECT WORLD”• CHALLENGED READERS TO DISCOVER WHAT IS

VIRTUOUS AND HOW LOVE NOURISHED AND KILLS• DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE – POEMS IN WHICH A

SPEAKER WHO IS NOT THE POET ADDRESSES A LISTENER WHO DOES NOT SPEAK

GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS• ORDAINED A JESUIT PRIEST• SERVED IN PARISHES IN THE

POOREST SECTIONS OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND• DIED OF TYPHOID FEVER AT 44

YEARS OLD• PIED – 2 OR MORE COLORS IN

BLOTCHES

“PIED BEAUTY”• GLORY BE TO GOD FOR DAPPLED THINGS— • FOR SKIES OF COUPLE-COLOUR AS A BRINDED COW; • FOR ROSE-MOLES ALL IN STIPPLE UPON TROUT THAT SWIM; • FRESH-FIRECOAL CHESTNUT-FALLS; FINCHES’ WINGS; • LANDSCAPE PLOTTED AND PIECED—FOLD, FALLOW, AND PLOUGH;

5 • AND ÁLL TRÁDES, THEIR GEAR AND TACKLE AND TRIM. • • ALL THINGS COUNTER, ORIGINAL, SPARE, STRANGE; • WHATEVER IS FICKLE, FRECKLED (WHO KNOWS HOW?) • WITH SWIFT, SLOW; SWEET, SOUR; ADAZZLE, DIM; • HE FATHERS-FORTH WHOSE BEAUTY IS PAST CHANGE: 10 • PRAISE HIM

A. E. HOUSMAN

• BELIEVED POETRY WAS ALL ABOUT FEELINGS; “SELF-INDULGENT BELLYACHING”• “THE TEST OF POETRY IS NOT WHAT

IS SAID, BUT HOW IT IS SAID.”

ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON

• NEVER CONSIDERED A CAREER OTHER THAN POETRY• COMPOSED A 6,000 LINE EPIC

POEM BY AGE 12• POET LAUREATE AND BARON

VOCABULARY• WANING• PROSPER• COUNTENANCE• DOWRY• ELUDES• SULLEN• OBSCURED• GAUNT• RUE • SMUDGE